Wrath
by number1brawlfan
Summary: Maul got away with Ezra, and will stop at nothing to make the boy his apprentice. Even if that means that Maul subconsciously resorts to old methods used on him, when he became a Sith. Will Ezra be saved or will he succumb to the Dark Side. Sequel to Prelude, I recommend reading it because it explains how Maul got Ezra, because it isn't fully explained/mentioned in here.
1. Chapter 1

**Here is the sequel to my story Prelude.**

 **Summary: Maul gets away with Ezra, ready to make him the perfect apprentice, even if that means he subconsciously results to some of the same tactics used on him when Sidious took him under his wing. Will Kanan and the Ghost crew be able to dave him before it is to late?**

 **This story may reference some of the stuff that happens in the book Wrath of Darth Maul. Mostly, I plan on getting some inspiration/ideas from Maul's training in there to set up how Maul plans to train Ezra, with the idea that some of Sidious' methods/presence still lingers within Maul, be it sub/unconsciously.**

* * *

Ezra slowly started regaining consciousness. His head was throbbing while the rest of his body felt numb. Once his vison had fully cleared, he had to come to terms with where he was, balled up within the confines of a Tie Fighter. That was the last place Ezra wanted to be, in fact he didn't want to be there at all, especially considering that the pilot of said Tie Fighter was getting away with abducting him that very same day.

Maul gave a sinister smirk, realizing his prized apprentice had finally awakened. Once he engaged autopilot with the correct coordinates and let the ship go into hyperspace, Maul turned his attention to the still relatively groggy teenager.

"You're awake." Maul greeted, getting up to approach the boy. "Good."

Ezra curled up into an even tighter ball, trembling ever so slightly, as Maul beside him. He flinched as the Zabrak tried placing a hand on his shoulder, not wanting the former Sith Lord's false sense of comfort. Maul would have been offended if he didn't already have enough experience with Ezra stemming from Malachor.

"How is any of this good?" Ezra practically yelled, as he found Maul holding him in place with both gloved hands gripping on to his trembling shoulders. "You've cornered me, kidnapped me, and done who knows what to my master and friends. You'd have to be pretty twisted to think that would be a good thing."

"Don't worry Ezra. I didn't kill them. I don't have a reason to, at least not yet. We got away without a scratch. But now's not the time for a technicality. We need to start your training."

Ezra pushed himself out of Maul's grip, and backed away from the man, infuriated.

"I will not train under you." Ezra was practically growling. "You are not my master, and I refuse to be your apprentice."

The Zabrak's reaction almost appeared to come out of nowhere. With a face that appeared unfazed, unresponsive, and nearly indifferent, Maul clawed a harsh grip on the boy's face, right along the boy's lower jaw. His grip dug into Ezra causing pain, and Ezra was not going to let it happen any longer lying down, as he tried to break free of the death grip.

"Listen carefully apprentice. That was not a question, it was a fact. This situation is not negotiable. This is your reality. Death will be the only way out, especially if you fail me. You are my apprentice, I will train you, and you will stay by my side as we get the revenge we desire so much. Or justice, as you have so clearly distinguished. That is what we're going to do, and I won't stop until I snuff the Jedi out of you."

Maul let Ezra go and shoved the boy back before resuming his post in the driver seat. Ezra rubbed his sore jaw as he brought himself back to a sitting position. He glared at the Zabrak, but knowing that wouldn't do a thing, Ezra decided to try getting some actual rest. Then if Maul didn't notice and they haven't reached their destination, he'd even try to mediate in order to get a connection with Kanan.

* * *

 **I apologize if this is kind of short, but the chapters will get progressively get longer. I know what I want to do with the story, but I can't tell you how many chapters that are going to be in total.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter 2. In this chapter we will get some insight as to what happened between the end of Prelude and the beginning of this story. That way no one's completely in the dark about it. That was the plan for this chapter anyways. To explain what happened between the two and to bring in the Ghost Crew. Italics=flashback**

* * *

"You need to calm down Kanan." Hera sternly ordered.

"You don't understand Hera." Kanan responded with slight panic in his voice. "That maniac of a Zabrak has Ezra and is going to try to make Ezra his apprentice."

Hera placed a comforting hand on the Jedi's shoulder, trying to keep him still and to try and calm him down. She looked at Kanan looking at the bandage that covered what was left of his eyes.

"I know you're worried about Ezra, I am too, terrified in fact, but you need to calm down. You aren't going to have much luck finding him in this condition. We will find him, but we need to take a step back and breathe."

Kanan took Hera's words in, allowing him to calm down ever so slightly. With his anxiety fueled defense temporarily down, Hera embrace Kanan. She calmly reassured Kanan that everything would be alright, that they would find Ezra and bring him home, and that they should be glad that Ezra's alive. As much as he didn't want to accept it, Kanan knew Hera had a point. So long as Maul had Ezra, and thankfully not the Empire, he knew that Ezra would be alive.

Once Hera managed to calm Kanan down to a point that she approved of, she allowed him to go to his quarters. But, Kanan still couldn't help but remember what happened.

 _Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb had beem separated separated from Ezra. Everyone was concerned to say the least, Kanan especially. He was the only one who could truly sense Ezra's distress. Not only that, but the fact that Kanan could sense the familiar presence of a certain Zabrak that cost him his sight._

 _"_ _You've got to hurry up Sabine." Kanan demanded, much to the annoyance of the Mandalorian._

 _Zeb took her annoyance as a sign to take Kanan and keep him preoccupied._

 _"_ _You need to calm down." Zeb admitted. "Sabine's working as fast as she can."_

 _"_ _Ezra's trapped over there with that freak. How can I calm down?"_

 _Once Sabine finished preparing the explosives, she let everyone know._

 _"_ _Ezra!" Sabine yelled, hoping he would hear it. "I'm letting off the explosives. If you're by this wall, back up!"_

 _Sabine herself backed up with Zeb and Kanan._

 _Once the explosion went off, the trio ran through the smoke and dust, but found that Ezra was gone. They tried looking around for Ezra, and Zeb was the first to spot movement. Zeb ran after whoever it was that was moving, with Sabine and Kanan close behind._

 _They all ended up outside of the cave, through a previously unknown exit. They were finally able to see who they were chasing. Maul was carrying an unconscious Ezra and unfortunately, because of Maul's head start, it was too late. Maul boarded the Tie Fighter he stole and flew off._

Kanan finally reached his room and started to meditate, hoping it would give him some insight on what to do.

"Kanan." A voice called out through the Force.

Kanan looked around, confused at first.

"Kanan!" The voice called out louder.

"Ezra?!" Kanan gasped, finally recognizing the voice.

* * *

 **A total cliffhanger if I do say so myself. I hope you guys enjoyed it I know it was fun to fill in the blanks. Plus a little bit of light Kanera doesn't hurt.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Now we get Kanan and Ezra's conversation as well as get to see where Maul is taking Ezra. Bold Italics = Communication through the Force.**

* * *

 ** _'_** ** _Ezra! Where are you? Are you hurt?' Kanan gasped._**

 ** _'_** ** _I'm fine, but I can't talk for long.' Ezra confirmed._**

 ** _'_** ** _Where are you?'_**

 ** _'_** ** _I don't know. We haven't gotten out of hyperspace yet. What am I supposed to do Kanan?'_**

Kanan could feel the anxiety emanating off of the boy and his voice, and tried emanating waves of comfort to calm Ezra down.

 ** _'_** ** _Calm down. We're going to find you, but I'm going to need you to calm down.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _How am I supposed to calm down? I'm stuck with … I've got to go. I think he's starting to get suspicious, and I got a feeling that we're going to be getting out of hyperspace soon.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _Ezra! I need to know where you guys are heading.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _I can't tell you, not yet anyways. If he senses me communicating with you, I may not be able to contact you again. Goodbye.'_**

With that said, Ezra disconnected his and Kanan's telepathic connection. Kanan sat there in shock and concern. He was relieved to know that Ezra was okay, at least for that moment. Hera was had a point in saying that Ezra would be alive in Maul's care. However, he was afraid of what was going to happen next to his Padawan, especially since they had no idea as to the location that Maul was taking Ezra. He could have taken Ezra to Coruscant for all he knew, and right under the Empire's nose without either the Ghost crew or even the Empire knowing.

Kanan shook off his concerns, stood up, and left his room. He knew he had to let the others know that he was contacted by Ezra. They had just as much of an investment in Ezra and his wellbeing to know what information he had, no matter how small.

Ezra quickly opened his eyes to find Maul pulling the Tie Fighter out of hyperspace. The view from the window of the Tie displayed a hot red planet.

"Are you well rested my apprentice?" Maul asked.

"Depends on how you define well rested." Ezra responded, sarcasm dripping off his tongue. "If you define well rested as cramped in a Tie Fighter with a man I don't want to be near, than yes, I'm well rested."

Maul chuckled at the boy's sarcasm. It's one of the few qualities that he liked about Ezra, and he was going to miss it when this was all over. While Ezra, let out a sigh of relief when Maul didn't interrogate him about connecting with Kanan.

Maul guided the Tie Fighter down to the planet. It landed safely in front of a well-constructed, darkly colored, but well-lit fortress. Once he got it parked, Maul was the first to exit the Tie, before dragging Ezra out after him. Maul jumped off of the top of the Tie with Ezra in hand, and harshly started to guide Ezra towards the yellow lit fortress.

Ezra started tensing up with every step he was forced to take. The first thing Ezra's mind was able to register, was just how hot the red planet was. The next being the fire depths of the surroundings.

"Welcome to Mustafar." Maul introduced.

* * *

 ***insert dramatic music* Yep Maul took him to Mustafar, more specifically the Black Sun's Fortress. I figured that would be a place where Maul could take him, without the Empire really thinking about it. I would also like to mention that I may not have the next chapter up for a while, due to me wanting to read up on Wrath of Darth Maul. That way I can get some suggestions for the training Maul could put Ezra through.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm back. I was debating whether or not to post this chapter sooner, because Ezra's training will start in the next chapter, but I decided to brainstorm this idea for a little bit and wait until I got the Wrath of Darth Maul in the event I wanted to start Ezra's training. However, while the training won't start until the next chapter, I did make a sort of reference/homage to Wrath of Darth Maul. In the first or second chapter it stated how when Maul did something "wrong", Maul would be punished and his punishment would serve as a lesson. Towards the end of the chapter Maul has designed his own form of punishment. What he gives Ezra is to act as a punishment and a lesson. It will give Ezra a punishment in the hopes of teaching Ezra a lesson.**

Ezra's electric blue eyes widened in horror. He only had experienced that name and the planet associated with it once before, and there was no turning back now.

"Mustafar," Ezra named, "like 'where Jedi go to die?' That Mustafar?"

"The very same." Maul confirmed, still guiding the teen. "That mission statement, couldn't be any truer, and how it brings back memories. But don't worry Ezra, You won't die. The Jedi that will die will not be a physical one, but it the Jedi within you."

"But won't the Empire know we're here? This isn't exactly a place they completely ignore."

"True, but we are near an area that the Empire doesn't frequent. Quite frankly, they don't come here at all."

Maul gave Ezra a brief history of the fortress while they made it there. He explained how it once belonged to a crime syndicate known as the Black Sun, up until he got a group allies to take it over, and eventually serving his syndicate known as the Shadow Collective. However, Maul left out any names or references of any of the Mandalorians involved, especially considering one of Ezra's own allies and friends was one.

He couldn't take pride in is feat for much longer, the planet's heat and atmosphere was not good to be exposed to for too long, which was doubly so with Ezra's thin physique. Maul forced Ezra into the fortress, quickly slamming the door behind them. The first thing Maul demanded was that Ezra would not leave the fortress unsupervised, least he wanted to die.

Maul started to give the boy a tour of the fortress, showing him what he needed to be familiar with.

"And this is where you will be accommodated." Maul stated, showing Ezra the door to the boy's room.

"You actually trust that I won't leave you while you're sleeping?" Ezra sarcastically replied.

"Of course not, which is why the door will be locked from the outside every night. That and I've elected to take the room next to yours. And even if you did manage to get out, I would more than likely sense it. Now come here."

One hand grabbed the underside of Ezra's head and forced it to look up, while the other roughly adjusted a metallic device around Ezra's neck.

"There we go." Maul stated, releasing the boys head and neck.

"What is this?" Ezra asked, pinching at it with his thumb and pointer finger. "And why is it around my neck?"

"It's a lesson. And there are a few reasons that I latched the device onto you. For one, it will help with increasing your resistance to pain. I do want you to learn how to withstand pain, and while you may not be able to get on the same level of pain resistance as a Zabrak such as myself, it would benefit you in the long run to have a heightened resistance to pain. I also like to think of it as a way of owning you, or at least that's what it makes it look like. But the more important reason is that it gives me control. You were correct to question my trust in you. So until I can trust you and until I can conform you to my will, I will use this device to punish you. If you try to run from me or ignore or refuse my demands, I will not hesitate to use it, and electrocute every fiber in your body. The day is coming to the end, even though it may not show it, so rest up. Tomorrow I will begin your training."

* * *

 **Again training will start in the next chapter. My plan for now in regards to it will be divided into three different parts. Strength training, Force training, and finally lightsaber training. Combat will be worked in to the Force and lightsaber portions and heightened pain resistance will be progress through all three. And if I am incorrect in saying how Zabrak's have a high pain resistance let me know. I jsu feel like I've either read somewhere or heard someone online say that Zabrak's (Dathomirian Zabrak's or Zabrak's as a whole I can't remember) have a high pain tolerance.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Before I go on with my idea behind Ezra's training and the chapter, I'd like to make a few comments. First off, I'd like to thank Rebel Spectre 6 for the suggestion/idea of Maul teaching Ezra how to deal with pain. I meant to say that in the previous chapter, but I forgot (better late than never right ^^;). Not only does the shock collar act as a punishment, but as it mentioned in the previous chapter, Maul thinks it will help Ezra's pain resistance (along with future training). I'd also like to mention that I was originally going to have Maul question Ezra about the holocron, but again forgot. However, after thinking about it, I knew it wasn't really needed becaue all it would have served was that Maul would be like "okay you don't got it, we'll worry about it later" and never mentioned again. I also notice a few grammer issues (specifically in the last chapter or two) and will probably update those chapters with the proper corrections. And lastly, Ezra's punishment is controlled by a device that Maul wears around his wrist. It was originally going to be activated by Maul snapping, but I felt that snapping leaves a few plot holes. Basically the following questions that ran though my mind were: "Why snapping?", "How would it know if Maul was snapping", "Could it be activated by anyone snapping", and "What if Ezra snapped? Would he be tazzing himself?"**

 **Moving along, I wanted to take a moment to explain what I had in mind in regard to Ezra's training and what I'm taking from the Wrath of Darth Maul for reference/inspiration. One thing being that, because of what Ezra already knows, when he gets to the Force and lightsaber training he's not going to be as inexperienced as Maul was (because Maul was a lot younger when he was taken and trained by Sidious and unfamiliar with the Force during the first few years of training). So most of Ezra's training in that regard will be sharpening his skills. Ezra's training will strictly be on Malachor (and not off Malachor like some of Maul's training) and to compensate for any "expendable" dummies/volunteers Maul will have already picked out. Ezra's strength, force, and lightsaber training will be monitored by Maul, which kind of references how Sidious was there for the latter two (combat was kind of it's own thing and was monitored by a robot mostly). And Maul's familiar with strength training, hence why he's monitoring it.**

 **With that out of the way, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. Expect some Ezra whump and back sass.**

* * *

Maul had forced Ezra to stand in front of him as he observed the boy's physique, and what Maul had to work with as far as training. Maul took in Ezra's height, age, and weight into consideration, so that he could mentally prepare the correct method of physical training. Ezra, who had only gotten about six hours of sleep instead of his usual eight, watched uncomfortably as he was being studied by the Dathomirian.

"You're so thin." Maul sighed. "Thinner than I'd like you to be. However, I can't really blame you for this in all honestly. It's not your fault that you got to be this way. Eight years on the streets alone will have that effect on someone you're age, but I can still work with this. Plus, it gives you a more agile advantage in the long run. I can imagine how easy it is for you to sneak into small spaces and dodge attacks a little quicker. Especially when compared to that Lasat that you associated with, and with that out of the way, let's get started. We'll start with some routine strength training and work our way up to the more enduring drills."

Ezra glared at Maul, crossing his arms in defiance. This display was already causing Maul some annoyance. The rebellious nature was starting a scene.

"Really? You're defying me already? And I thought you'd cooperate with me."

"I already told you that I refuse to train under you." Ezra bitterly reminded.

"And I told you that you didn't have a say in the matter. Am I really going to have to punish you already, or are you going to listen to me?"

"I dare you. If you're going to threaten me with this," Ezra pointed at the collar, "at least have the common sense to go through with it. Besides, I want to see what I'm up against in regards to this collar and if you'll really do it."

"Alright, but remember Ezra, you asked for this."

Maul pressed a button on a device wrapped around his tattooed wrist, sending electrical vibrations through every part of Ezra's body. The surge of pain that shocked Ezra, forced the boy to cling his arms around him. Falling to his knee, Ezra couldn't help but release struggled cries of pain out of his mouth. He wanted to make it stop, but it already seemed to fade away on its own, relieving him from the beginning of his shock therapy. Ezra took the opportunity to catch his breath and force himself to stand up, looking at Maul with pain and malice.

"You actually did it." Ezra groaned.

"Of course I did, I don't make empty threats, and I'll have you know that wasn't even the highest setting." Maul replied. "So long as it gets the job done, I'm all for it. Now let's try this again, shall we? Let's begin your training."

Ezra stared at Maul, not letting out a response.

After several hours of heavy duty strength training, Ezra was allowed to return to his prison. How making Ezra do several hundred pushups and laps over the course of those few hours was considered "routine" was beyond Ezra's comprehension. The muscles in his body throbbed and screamed in pain and his nerves were numb, thanks to several doses of electrical stimuli as a result of a number of attempts to rebel against Maul's command. The only thing his body could comprehend was that it needed rest, and it wasn't going to get that while he was still conscious, so his body gently guided Ezra into a deep slumber.

* * *

 **Okay so I have an idea for the next chapter set, but I wanted to run something by you guys. The original plan is for Ezra to contact Kanan again (disclaimer: there will be three instances where they will connect and that includes their conversation back in chapter 3) and he'll tell Kanan what's going on, but I also had an idea to throw in a chapter where Ezra tries to escape. I plan to have Ezra telling Kanan that he did try to escape when he contacts Kanan, but I thought I'd ask you guys if you'd want to see an escape attempt for the next chapter, or go if you'd rather have me go with my original idea. So I'll wait a few days (a week at most depending on how many reviews this chapter gets) to allow you guys to comment on what you'd like to see.**


	6. Chapter 6

**After going over your guys reviews, and one message that I have received, I decided to go with a bit of an escape chapter. It's not just him trying and failing, but there is a certain factor to his escape that isn't covered until he's caught. And it doesn't end with Ezra getting dragged back, but let's just say, Ezra is not going to get out of his attempted escape unharmed. So caution for slight Ezra Whump. Enjoy.**

* * *

Ezra's body refused to let him get anymore sleep and Ezra slowly woke up with sore, stiff muscles. His body wasn't use to such an extreme dose of strength training, so he wasn't surprised. Ezra forced himself to sit up, finally having the time to allow himself to contemplate his current situation. He was trapped inside of a room, on the planet known for killing Jedi, and ensnared in the grasp of a former Sith Lord. Ezra forced himself to stand and started limping towards the door, wanting to see if Maul's statement was true. Ezra tried to open the door, but it appeared that Maul stayed true to his threat because the door refused to open for him.

Ezra let out an annoyed sigh, mentally cursing Maul for his precautions. The only other question he had was what he should do next until Maul came for him. Getting an actual look at his prison was a start. It was a standard sized room with its own bathroom. Ezra looked around with no sense of direction, until something caught his eye. An air vent was strategically placed in his prison. It was conveniently placed at a height that Ezra could reach. He played around with the vent's cover until he was able to remove it. He gently placed the cover on the ground and slowly climbed into the vent, using the corner of the bed for an additional boost.

Ezra was able to drag his sore body along the internal tunnel like structure, and after a few minutes of travelling within the cramped vents, he eventually found an exit that was close to the exit he wanted. Using what his body would allow him to use, Ezra used the force to push the cover off and gently placed it on the ground.

Unfortunately the same could not be said for Ezra, as he plummeted to the ground, hitting it pretty hard. Ezra quickly observed his surroundings, hoping he wasn't heard. When he didn't see the Zabrak, Ezra got himself back out.

Ezra cracked the door open ever so slightly, and snaked through the little passage. The heat was the first thing to welcome Ezra's thin frame, but he didn't let that stop him from going over to the Tie Fighter that brought him to the accursed planet. He was about to climb up when a thought occurred to him, the escape was too easy. He didn't process it any further due to the sound of someone clapping. Ezra turned around to find the Dathomirian Zabrak standing not too far behind.

"Well done." Maul complimented, making his way towards the Lothal born Jedi. "You passed my little test. I was correct when I said that your thin frame does make it easier for you to fit into smaller spaces. I just have one suggestion for future reference, try being a little more silent when in the vents. I could hear you moving the moment you got in there."

"Why are you really here?" Ezra questioned. "Regardless if this was a test or not, you're taking my escape way too light then I know you would."

"Of course I'm here for something other than some little test. That's very perceptive on your part. You disobeyed me. I told you not to leave, and here you are trying to escape. I do not tolerate disrespect, so another lesson is in order."

Ezra mentally braced himself for another dose of electrocution. However, what he was not prepared for, was the intensity. It was sharper and more painful than any of the previous times. After a few minutes, it finally let up, and Ezra was having a hard time keeping himself steady.

Maul took advantage Ezra's lack of regulated balance, and knocked Ezra off of his feet. Now firmly positioned on the ground, Ezra would not be prepared for Maul's next move. Maul dropped one of his metallic feet on Ezra's arm, causing the bone to crack. Ezra let out a scream of pain, as Maul harshly dragged him back to his feet.

"Now that I have your attention, we're starting up your training." Maul stated. "And now I'm going to throw in some combat practice with your strength training."

"How exactly am I supposed to train?" Ezra growled. "You broke my arm."

"I've suffered through worse injuries and trained with them. Besides, I only provided enough pressure to cause a minor break. You'll train with it and you will not complain about it. You did this to yourself and now you're paying the consequences for your action."

* * *

 **Maul's vicious isn't he? But if it is any conciliation he did have to deal with some training while injured. And I figured he'd start introducing some combat, not only to get a head start on it, but to add stress to Ezra's already crippling condition.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I thought I'd get chapter 7 up now that it's done. This is the second of three Kanan and Ezra communicating over the Force chapters. There will be one more after this, but not for a few chapters. This chapter does cover a few topics. I hope you guys enjoy it. As a reminder Bold Italics = Ezra and Kanan communicating through the Force.**

* * *

 ** _'_** ** _Kanan.' Ezra called out through the force._**

No response was given.

 ** _'_** ** _Kanan!' Ezra called out even louder._**

 ** _'_** ** _Ezra!?' Kanan finally replied. 'Is that you?'_**

 ** _'_** ** _No, it Hera. Of course it's me.'_**

Ezra could hear Kanan let out a sigh of relief. It was nice to hear Kanan at ease, and Kanan was just happy to hear from the boy.

 ** _'_** ** _What's going on? You've been off the grid for two weeks.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _I've been under heavy surveillance. This is the first time I've truly been left alone in a week.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _What's been stealing your time?'_**

 ** _'_** ** _Training mostly. Apparently I'm a fast learner, and am fairly strong for someone so thin. Or at least that's what Maul says anyways. He says he wants to integrate me into some Force training soon along with the combat stuff he's already introduced.'_**

Ezra let out a hiss of pain that did not go unheard by Kanan's ears, which triggered some concern.

 ** _'_** ** _Are you okay? Are you hurt?' Kanan asked._**

 ** _'_** ** _It's nothing. Just a recovering broken arm and a twisted ankle. It was pure luck that I was able to find some medical supplies including something to wrap my arm in, because Maul isn't going to help. Unfortunately, due to not having the proper sling to throw it in, and the fact that Maul's forced me to train with it, my arm isn't healing as fast as it should. Are all Zabrak this intense or is Maul just nuts?"_**

Ezra could sense slight concern emanating off of Kanan.

 ** _'_** ** _Where are you?'_**

 ** _'_** ** _In a room. It's not very comfortable, but it works. I really only sleep here so …'_**

 ** _'_** ** _Ezra!'_**

Ezra flinched at his master raising his voice. He still wasn't used to Kanan yelling at him. While Kanan was not liking that Ezra was avoiding what he was actually asking. He knew Ezra didn't want reply, or at least was afraid to, but Kanan didn't know why.

 ** _'_** ** _Where are you?'_**

Silence jammed their connection for a moment. Ezra let out a sigh, trying to keep himself calm, as he finally was able to muster up the courage to reply.

 ** _'_** ** _Where Jedi go to die.'_**

Another moment of silence took over their conversation. Ezra could feel a spike of emotions emanating from Kanan, mostly panic and anxiety. This concerned Ezra and Kanan could feel it.

 ** _'_** ** _Mustafar?' Kanan finally processed. 'You're on Mustafar? We're cming to get you now.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _No!' Ezra nearly screamed._**

Kanan was surprised at his padawan's outburst. He just said that they were going to save Ezra and Kanan knew Ezra should be happy. Clearly there was something more than what Ezra let on.

 ** _'_** ** _I'm going to need you to talk to me. What's wrong? I just said that you're going to be saved and you're telling me not to. What aren't you telling me?'_**

Kanan could feel the emotions coming off of Ezra before the boy could even respond.

 ** _'_** ** _Say something Ezra.'_**

Ezra let out a sigh, knowing that he should be honest with his master.

 ** _'_** ** _I'm afraid Kanan.' Ezra finally admitted._**

 ** _'_** ** _Then we will come to rescue you.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _But we won't be here if you do.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _What do you mean?'_**

 ** _'_** ** _Don't you think he'll get suspicious if you guys come to see me now? It's too soon to come and get me, and he'll know that.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _And by too soon, you mean what exactly?'_**

 ** _'_** ** _He'll take me away. If you come now, he'll know something is up. He'll know that you came to find me sooner than you should, and know that I lead you to us. He'll take me away to who knows where, not to mention the punishment I'll be forced to endure for an act of "betrayal". I need time to get him to trust in me. I need him to know that I won't leave and you have no idea as to our exact location.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _Even at the risk of your own safety? I can't live with that.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _You'll have live with it as much as I'll have to deal with.'_**

Kanan could feel their connection slipping, as Ezra was slowly slipping into unconsciousness.

 ** _'_** ** _I've got to go.' Ezra stated. 'I'm on the verge of falling asleep. My body can't take being awake much longer.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _I need you stay.' Kanan pleaded. 'I don't know when we'll hear from you again, and I don't want to loss you.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _It will be okay. Trust me. I'll communicate with you soon.'_**

* * *

 **The Force training stuff will start in the next chapter. Maul's** **a little rough with training ^^; but hey this is also the guy who had bitten several people in his younger years: Sidious once and this student at the academy Sidious took him to (both of which were in the Wrath of Darth Maul). He also mess two Rodian kids up at the same academy.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here we have an introduction to Ezra's Force training. I was debating whether or not to add Maul's reference to the Grand Inquisitor, but I decided to include it because he does mention where the Seventh Sister and the Fifth and Eight Brother lacked proper Force use, and the idea that due to them having a "numerical" rank that there must have been a superior/head Inquisitor at one point.**

* * *

"Any intelligent force sensitive individual, whether they be Jedi or Sith, knows the importance of being able to use the force properly, and not to depend on their lightsaber alone." Maul explained. "Having the right balance of both is key. If you're not at properly trained with it, then you will run into trouble when facing someone with superior skills. That's were those Inquisitors truly lacked strength, especially when compared to someone like myself. They were trained enough in the way of the lightsaber, but not in the ways of the Force. And due to the fact that the three you've encountered were ranked, I can only assume that there was a superior Inquisitor who was actually trained properly in both."

It had been a few days since Ezra had contacted Kanan, and Maul had progressively transitioned Ezra into the Force oriented training like he had promised. Ezra was not expecting the light lecture that he was receiving, and the vague reminder of the Grand Inquisitor, but he took it without complaint, especially considering that there was a box full of daggers sitting beside the Zabrak.

"While I know your saber work could use some improvement, which is no surprise, I personally believe that your ability to use the Force demands more attention at the moment. So today I will be throwing these here daggers at you. I expect you to stop them and throw them back at me using the Force. Obviously I don't expect you to catch all of them just yet, so I am perfectly fine with you dodging these."

Finally done with his lecture, Maul lifted several daggers up with the Force and started throwing them at Ezra. Ezra automatically stared dodging the sharp objects. He tried stopping them, but he was having a difficult time trying to focus on catching some while dodging others, which resulted in one dagger clipping the side of Ezra's leg. That distracted him long enough for another to graze Ezra's almost healed arm.

"Focus." Maul ordered. "You need to focus on what's going on around you or you'll just keep on getting cut. Focus on the immediate threat."

Maul picked up more daggers and started throwing them. Ezra forced himself to take Maul's advice. Taking a deep breath, Ezra cleared his mind and focused at the daggers that were coming dangerously close to him. To Ezra's surprise, he found himself stopping the daggers and their threat with the Force. Ezra forced them in all different directions.

Maul was satisfied to see Ezra's improvement, hoping that the boy would eventually be able to direct them in the right direction. Maul decided to increase amount of weapons thrown at the boy, lifting all of the fallen daggers and forced them to fly at Ezra. Ezra was able to keep up with Maul's counter attack.

Everything was pulled to a halt when one of the daggers grazed the side of Maul's face. Maul trailed his fingers over the scar feeling the blood that started to drip from it. Ezra wasn't sure whether to be horrified or pleased. The former sounded the most reasonable, not knowing how Maul would react, and was plastered all over Ezra's face. He was terrified what Maul could do if he was .

To Ezra's uneasy surprise, Maul started laughing. It was a twisted and eerily pleased sounding laugh.

"Good job." Maul commented, with some laughter still lingering, as he approached Ezra. "You managed to catch me off guard and landed at hit on me. I told you that you were a fast learner."

Ezra was uneasy about Maul's complement, but silently accepted it. However, if Ezra was to try and please Maul and do as he says, getting complemented for whatever deeds Maul liked, would eventually become a normal thing. Surely it would be less unusual after enough time. Ezra knew one thing for sure, it was definitely better than being punished.

* * *

 **Dagger training is a pain XD Especially since Ezra got hit. I felt that using those for an intro to the training so that he'd be familiar with things flying at him. And I figured Maul wouldn't get pissed at Ezra for hitting him, because that shows that Ezra's catching on an was actual able to hit the Zabrak.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here we have some Ezra angst, as his training takes a traumatizing turn. I such at fighting scened so bear with me ^^; and I decided to use a (rouge) Mandalorian because I figured Maul would have a few tricks up his sleeve and a few "volunteers" hanging around.**

* * *

When Ezra had been awakened by Maul, he was not expecting the kind of training he had currently found himself in. Maul had brought him down to the training hall like any other normal day, but when they got there, they were not alone. Standing on the other side of the room was a rouge Mandalorian man.

"Today I will be testing if you're progress has truly been worth it." Maul stated. "This gentleman has proudly volunteered to battle you today, in exchange for potentially earning his freedom. You two are to fight it out, and the match will end when one of you is lying on the floor dead."

Ezra's eyes widened in horror at Maul's admission. The memory of Maul trying to pressure Ezra into killing the Seventh Sister and how Ezra could not bring himself to do it reared its head.

"I can't do that." Ezra replied. "I cannot kill this man."

"Well, if you want to live, you'll have to. I want to know if the training over the last month has provided me with the results that I desire, or if I have wasted my time trying to train an apprentice that I obtained far too late. I know what you're capable of Ezra, now begin."

The Mandalorian did not think twice and made the first move, punching Ezra square in the face. Ezra wasn't going to take the hit lying down, joining in on the battle. The combat that Ezra was displaying was acceptable, mixing a bit of what Ezra learned on the streets, with his former mentor, and what Maul had introduced to him. However, Maul made a mental note that there was still room for improvement and that he would have to work on perfecting it, if Ezra made it out of the fight alive.

The Mandalorian's experience finally started to show as he was able to knock Ezra off of his feet and sent the boy flying. Ezra didn't have enough time to get back on his feet, as he managed to push himself up the Mandalorian was quickly preparing the final blow.

"No!" Ezra yelled, closing his eyes and unconsciously sending a hand flying into the air.

When no attack was dealt, Ezra slowly opened his eyes, only to be terrified of the result. His hand was curled as it held the Mandalorian's throat in a chokehold courtesy of the Force. The Mandalorian gasped for air, as Ezra sat there terrified. The grip on the warrior's neck only tightened as Ezra unknowingly closed his shaking hand ever so slightly. The only thig his mind could process was wanting to throw the man across the room, but rather than throwing the man, a cracking sound could be heard the moment Ezra flicked his wrist.

Ezra instantly dropped the Mandalorian, realizing what he had just done. Ezra watched as blood started streaming out of the warrior's mouth. Ezra froze in horror, finally realizing what he had done. Not only did he break the man's neck, but the effect of said break killed him.

"That was amazing." Maul applauded, already standing by Ezra.

Maul knelt down beside Ezra so that they both could be at eye level. Maul placed a hand on the boy's terrified shoulder.

"And might I say, I am impressed. I didn't think you'd do that. I mean, not only did you break the man's neck, but it looks like you burst his trachea, drowning him with his own blood. I am so proud of you."

Ezra refused to answer, still being held by the shock that welcomed him. Maul was not annoyed, sensing Ezra's emotional turmoil. Maul wasn't even surprised, considering this was considered to be his first real kill.

"I think you need some time to process this." Maul gently sighed, helping Ezra get to his feet. "I'll allow you to have some time to yourself, and call it a day. This was a step in the right direction."

Maul gently guided Ezra back to his chambers, one arm draped around Ezra's shoulder. Maul opened the door and allowed Ezra to slowly walk inside. The door swiftly closed behind him. Ezra sat down on his bed, and his shaking increased in intensity tenfold. Ezra curled up into a ball hoping it would hold him together and soothe him. Finally alone, all of his emotions came flooding front and center. Ezra could not contain them anymore, and wept into his knees. The death of a man now tainted his once pure heart.

* * *

 **I think I broke Ezra a little bit ^^; but I had to with where this story is going. I hope you guys like it and I hope this chapter came out well.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I apologize in advance for how short this chapter, and this will probably be the shortest chapter in the story. It's the last of the Kanan and Ezra's communication chapters so I didn't have all that much to put in it, without revealing too much for the next two chapters. The next two chapters, especially Ezra's (which will be chapter 12) have key elements.**

* * *

 ** _'_** ** _Kanan!' Ezra cried out. 'Kanan, I need you!'_**

 ** _'_** ** _I'm here!' Kanan replied instantly, immediately sensing Ezra's distress. 'What's wrong?'_**

 ** _'_** ** _I need you to come and get me. Now! I can't take this anymore.'_**

Kanan could sense Ezra's emotionally compromised state, which prompted Kanan to instantly become concerned.

 ** _'_** ** _What happened?'_**

 ** _'_** ** _I just killed a man!'_**

A moment of silence approached their conversation, causing Ezra to worry, which didn't go unnoticed by Kanan.

 ** _'_** ** _You killed a man?' Kanan repeated in disbelief._**

 ** _"_** ** _I didn't mean to. It was an accident. He was about to kill me, and I grabbed him by the neck with the Force, and I broke his neck killing him. I only meant to throw him. I'm so sorry Kanan.'_**

Kanan could feel a spike in Ezra's emotional state, as the boy started to hyperventilate ever so slightly. This compromise was the last thing that Kanan wanted. Kanan tried to send waves of comfort to Ezra, hoping to calm him down.

 ** _'_** ** _It's okay Ezra. I know you didn't need mean to. It's not your fault. We will save you. I just need you to calm down and…"_**

 ** _'_** ** _Mind if I join in?' A voice chimed in, intruding on their once private conversation. 'This line doesn't seem too busy.'_**

Ezra gasped in horror, before going into a terrified oath of silence. Kanan did not back down from their unwanted visitor, especially since he could sense how close he was in proximity to Ezra. He stood what ground he had, ready to take their visitor on.

' ** _Get out of here Maul.' Kanan demanded with a growl. 'We are going to take him back.'_**

 ** _'_** ** _You say that now. But tell me something Jedi, do you know what it feels like when a master and padawan's bond becomes compromised? What it feels like if said bond is severed?'_**

Kanan was silent, refusing to answer Maul's somewhat unusual line of questions.

 ** _'_** ** _Well you're about to find out. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to have a word with my apprentice. Say goodbye to the blind Jedi Ezra.'_**

Kanan could feel the horror explode off of Ezra, who let out a pleading scream, as Maul violently ripped the traumatized teen away from their connection.

 ** _'_** ** _Ezra!' Kanan's voice echoed, unsure of whether or not Ezra heard it._**

Kanan fell over from his once meditated state. The concern and anxiety flooding over his once calm disposition, followed by exasperation at Maul's corrupt existence and his cruel plans for Ezra.

* * *

 **Yep, I've still got some trauma in store for Ezra. But it's necessary trauma, especially two chapters down. And I'm leaving it on a cliffhanger. The next two chapter will go over the final conformation to rescue Ezra and what happened to Ezra after Maul ripped him away from Kanan. There will be more breaking in store for Ezra as well.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Now we get another chapter of Kanan and the Ghost crew (we did only get one technically). I hope you guys enjoy.**

* * *

"I knew we should have went for him the moment he told me where he was." Kanan sighed with guilt.

He had just explained the predicament that Ezra was now in, and everyone was concerned to say the least. Even Chopper seemed to have some form of worry behind his usually cold demeanor. The killing, which Hera states was out of self-defense, the emotional trauma that Ezra was drowning in, and the fact that Maul had ripped Ezra away from him were all topics that had such terrible undertones to them.

"It's okay Kanan." Hera tried to reassure. "It's not your fault that this happened, nor is it Ezra's. Telling us to wait was what he thought was the best thing at that moment. Can you blame him? He didn't know this would happen."

"Hera, did you hear me? He killed a man, regardless whether it was out of self-defense or murder, it ruined him. If we had gone through the original plan, he wouldn't be in this predicament, and who knows what Maul's doing to him now that Ezra was caught."

Kanan let out a cry of pain. His hand grabbed his chest, as he fell to his knees. Sabine and Zeb were shocked, as Hera ran to Kanan's side to help support him. Concern was plastered all over her face. They all watch as Kanan got back most of his composure.

"What's wrong Kanan?" Hera questioned, a hand claiming a spot on his shoulder.

"He's trying to sever our bond." Kanan groaned, before letting out another hiss of pain.

"What?" Hera gasped, helping Kanan get back on his feet.

"Maul said, well more like threatened, to sever bond. I guess he's going through with that promise, and telling by the pain I just experienced, I'd say he's getting close."

Sabine and Zeb looked at themselves surpried and then back to Kanan, while Hera gasped in horror.

"Can he do that Kanan?" Zeb questioned.

"Well Zeb, when the bond between master and padawan is strong, like mine and Ezra's has been, it would be very difficult to break, almost impossible. However, it is possible. And considering Ezra's current emotional state, Maul's definitely progressing faster than he should be. That is why we need to act now."

"Well, we know he's on Mustafar. That's something." Hera stated, trying to be optimistic.

"Last I checked, none of us know the planet's layout, unless one of you have toured the planet without me knowing."

The five residing members of the Ghost tried to brainstorm a few ideas, trying to think of ways they could pinpoint the location of Ezra and his captor on the red planet. The snapping of Sabine's fingers got everyone's attention, causing a slightly confused response.

"I've got it." Sabine declared with pride.

"What?" Kanan asked, with hope in his voice.

"I may not have been on Mustafar myself, but I think I know someone who is at least aware of the planets terrain and its landmarks. She has to know where we can find Ezra and Maul, especially when you consider that there are bound to be a few places that they could hide without the Empire's knowledge."

"Who is this mysterious source of yours Sabine?"

"Ketsu."

* * *

 **Yes Ketsu will be in here as of Chapter 13. She'll only have a minor role, but it's important. And I'm trying to give some of the other Ghost crew members some spotlight. I'll let you know that Sabine will be getting a somewhat bigger role later on in the story.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Before I go on I want to make a little disclaimer. As you know, we just got some new info for season 3 in the form of a clip. And I wanted to get it out there that, because this story was originally written before we got this, the season 3 promo will not affect this story in any way. Ezra still looks the same that he has for the first 2 seasons, Sabine still has the same hair color (not that we got a look at what changes she had), and so on.**

 **With that out of the way, on with the chapter. We are back to Ezra now. This chapter is definitely the longest (even without the Author's Note). Ezra will be broken and be warned for some Ezra whump and stuff.**

* * *

When Ezra was brutally brought back to reality, the first thing he noticed was that Maul was sitting beside him on the bed. Ezra jumped, forcing himself to distance himself from the Zabrak.

"Welcome back." Maul greeted, both hands wrapped around his knee.

"GO away." Ezra ordered.

"I can't do that. The last time I left you alone to think, you went running back to your former master."

Ezra stood up and took a few steps away from the bed, in order to distance himself from the red and black Dathomirian.

"I feel betrayed Ezra." Maul stated, before making himself stand up. "You were progressing so well, and we were getting along, and this is how you repay me? I thought I wouldn't have to teach you another lesson ever again, but I guess routine and consistency is the only way for you to learn."

"Go ahead. I don't care what you do to me."

"How cute, you still have a little courage left behind all of that fear. Let's fix that, shall we?"

Maul cranked the collar's intensity to the highest setting, before officially activating it. Ezra did not utter a sound, feeling the electrical pain surge through his body. After several minutes, Maul allowed the punishment to cease, not wanted to overdo it. Ezra feel on to his hands and knees as Maul got closer to him.

"I hope his lie was worth the pain." Maul stated.

"He was not lying." Ezra growled, forcing himself to stand back up. "He is coming."

"Oh please, if he wanted to save you, he would have tried that weeks ago. Regardless of whether or not you denied his help, which you know you did."

Ezra's eyes widened in horror when Maul spoke those words, wondering how Maul could have possible known about his and Kanan's previous conversation.

"Oh yes, I knew about your conversation. You see, you were so tired that night that you didn't even bother to make sure that I wouldn't intrude. And the only reason you got away with it was because I choose to stay silent, allowing you false security."

"And? What does this have to do with this moment in time? What does that have to do with Kanan 'lying' to me?"

"Ah yes, if he really wanted to save you, he would have disregarded your demands, regardless of the risks. He's the adult and you're the child. He should have made the final decision, not you. You see, when people care about you, they don't just abandon you because you think that it's for the best. They would do anything to protect you. Let's also remember that he also didn't tell you that I was after you, and here you are."

"Considering what other ailments I was suffering from, I know Kanan was doing that for my wellbeing. Would I have wanted to know sooner? Of course, but it would do nothing to improve my quality of life."

Maul let out a sinister chuckle.

"For your wellbeing? More like smothering you in your own ignorance. I would have told you, just like I would have come to rescue you if I were him. He will never want you back. He didn't then and he he won't now. No Jedi wants a Padawan who has killed, nor would they want a scared Padawan who clearly cannot control his emotions. And considering how you look now, he definitely won't want you."

Ezra looked at him, confused.

"What do you mean?"

Maul grabbed Ezra by the neck and forced him to look into a mirror. The image in front of him revealed a horrific image that frightened Ezra. Strings of yellow branched out from the edge of his pupils, only to be contained by what little blue was left on the edge of his irises.

"Fear is a powerful thing. I was once told how a little green cretin said that fear is the path to the Dark Side. That is what made you this way. You're fear is making you one of us, and because of that, Kanan will never take you back."

Maul threw his apprentice to the ground. Ezra was only able to get himself up into a sitting position before Maul was hovering over him.

"So tell me, who is your master?"

"Kanan." Ezra bitterly growled.

A jolt of electricity coursed through Ezra's veins.

"Let me ask that again." Maul stated, letting go of the trigger. "Who is your master?"

"Kanan."

Another jolt of electricity shocked Ezra.

"You will answer this correctly Ezra, and until you do, I will continue to punish you. Fear is what got you this far, and fear will bind your fate to mine."

Ezra looked at Maul, terrified at the Zabrak's threat, and knowing that he didn't want what Maul was willing to offer.

"Again, who is your master?"

"Kanan."

This pattern of abuse continued. Maul would ask Ezra who his master was and when Ezra continued to reply with Kanan's name, Maul would electrocute him. When Maul's patience started thinning and the electrocution alone didn't seem like it was working, Maul started to add a beating Ezra to the electricity. Ezra still continued pulled through with what little courage and strength he had left. Then when the beating and electrocution stared to take its toll, verbal attacks started to surface. Some of the comments being thrown including calling Ezra weak and ungrateful, how he was nothing more than an unloved abandon reject, ungrateful, and how Ezra was a murderer.

The attack seemed to last for hours, but time seemed to blur. When it appeared that Ezra reached the end of his battle, Maul stopped. Ezra was lying on the ground, shaking, when the electricity subsuded. The bruises on his body only scratched the surface of the physical altercations. His wall appearing to have almost if not completely shattered as new emotions took place of what emotional strength he had left. The verbal abuse made sure of that, leaving nothing but fear, doubt and rage in its wake.

When Maul saw Ezra trying to move, he brought the boy to his feet. His hands placed firmly on Ezra's shoulders, so that the boy could stand on his feet.

"So tell me Ezra, who is your master?" Maul asked one last time.

Ezra did not answer for a few moments, his mind a little blank. The only response he could muster lifting his head up to make eye contact with the Zabrak.

"You are my master." Ezra robotically replied.

* * *

 **If I didn't completely break Ezra a few chapters back, he definitely is now. ^^;**


	13. Chapter 13

**So we have another Ghost crew chapter. This one mostly focuses on contacting Ketsu. I'm trying to keep the Ghost crew as involved as possible before a rescue, which is why we are getting these chapters every now and then.**

* * *

"So how exactly is Ketsu supposed to help?" Kanan questioned as Sabine led him to the common room alone.

"Well a while back I overheard Ahsoka and Rex reminiscing about the Clone Wars." Sabine began. "They were talking about the Death Watch, a group founded and originating on Mandalore. Apparently, Maul and his supposed brother had not only been affiliated with them, but they supposedly "consulted" one of the Black Sun's smaller syndicates that was apparently stationed on Mustafar. As you probably remember Ketsu was originally the one who jumped into a career with them without me. So if anyone knows anything about the many branches of the Black Sun, it's her. She can tell us where Maul could be hiding and confirming if the Black Sun did in fact have a fortress on the planet. And if so, he could be holding Ezra there."

Kanan could agree with that logic as they had finally approached their destination. They got themselves seated. They were close enough to both see Ketsu, while still giving each other elbow room. Kanan waited patiently as Sabine got the call ready. Within a matter of seconds, Ketsu's miniature hologram appeared on the table.

"Hello?" Ketsu greeted. "Hey, Sabine. Long time no see."

"Hey Ketsu." Sabine replied. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well. How about you?"

"Not so good I'm afraid. I wish this could be a personal call, but I'm afraid I have to trouble you with something."

"I can tell. You sound like something's troubling you. What's bothering you?"

Sabine let out a small chuckle.

"Always wanting to get the point. We need your help. You remember Ezra, right?"

Ketsu took a second to think.

"The kid with the big blues? Yeah. What about him?"

"He was kidnapped by a Zabrak, and said Zabrak took him to Mustafar. I was wondering if you knew where someone could hide there without the much of any attention from the Empire, or more specifically, was there a Black Sun fortress residing on Mustafar?"

After hearing the artist's story, Ketsu let out an annoyed sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Why would he bring him there?" Ketsu sighed.

"So there is a base there?" Sabine tried to confirm.

"Yeah, but that station has been closed down for years."

Sabine's face lit up, glad to hear that her that her longtime friend knew something.

"Could you tell us where it is?"

Ketsu looked at Sabine, noting the worry and desperation in her eyes. Not wanting to disappoint her friend, Ketsu let out an indifferent sigh.

"Yes. I can tell you where it is, but you'll have to meet me in person. I don't trust how secure this line is, even if it is secure."

Sabine let out a small cheer, and Kanan seemed to breathe for the first time since Ketsu first answered.

"Thank you Ketsu. You don't know how much this means to us, to all of us. Where would you like us to meet?"

"How about Lothal? I'm not too far from the planet and I know you guys are regulars there."

"Of course. Meet us at Ezra's tower. It's on the outskirts of Capital City. It's kind of hard to miss once you spot it."

"I'll see you there. Until then, I bid you farewell."

* * *

 **I hope I did a good job keeping Ketsu in character. And we won't see the Ghost crew, specifically Kanan and Sabine, again for a few chapters.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Another chapter up and ready to go. I have the next few chapters written (just because I was on a roll) that just need to be typed. We're back to Maul and Ezra again. Just a heads up you will see Ezra refer to Maul as master once or twice through out the chapter.**

* * *

Transitioning training was not only necessary in Maul's eyes, but was also symbolic for the transformation of Ezra's identity. It had been decided that due to Ezra passing his trial, Maul decided that it was time to move Ezra along, all the while continuing his combat and Force training simultaneously.

"It's time we started your lightsaber training." Maul declared. "Now I know you lack a lightsaber of your own, due to our time together on Malachor. So I have one for you to use."

Maul handed Ezra a duel bladed lightsaber. Ezra studied it thoroughly in silence. It had a sleek design and looked as though it had never been touched, almost as though it was brand new. This caused Ezra to look at his new master with a confused look.

"If you've had this lightsaber all this time, then why do you still use that old thing master?" Ezra questioned, pointing at Maul's lightsaber.

Maul seemed phased ever so slightly by the question, but did appreciate that Ezra asked regardless.

"Because, this lightsaber is mine. I crafted it myself. And while it may be an old, beat up relic that has seen better days and required repairing, I am too attached to it to let it got now. Besides, that lightsaber is not mine to use, and by giving it to you, it gives me some sense of peace knowing it's in good hands. So you should consider yourself honored. Now we will begin with using one of the blades."

Ezra gasped, almost as if he was genuinely offended.

"But I already know how to use a single bladed lightsaber. Why wouldn't I be proficient enough to jump right into using both?"

"The reason, is because these kind of lightsabers handle differently compared to your traditional single blade. The hilt is longer for one thing, so not only do you have to adjust to the feel of that, you'll also have to adjust to how both ends work in order for you to utilize both simultaneously to its full potential. And remember, unlike me, who's had years to master this lightsaber, you have never wielded such a blade before in your life. So you are required to master the mechanics of the blade before you can use it perfectly in its entirety. Now let's begin."

Maul ignited both ends of his lightsaber, while Ezra followed his master's instructions and ignited only one of the blades.

Maul approached, making sure not to go overboard since Ezra was still a beginner. The blades clashed and training had begun. Ezra had started to see what Maul had foretold as far as handling. Its extended hilt provided itself as a challenge, as he tried to deflect Maul's strikes.

Several hours would pass before Ezra started showing progress. Several parts pf Ezra's body had been burnt due to Maul's lightsaber striking him. Maul also had Ezra change to the other side of his lightsaber for practice on the other side.

"Good progress Ezra." Maul applauded. "Keep this up and you will be using the lightsaber to its full ability in a matter of days."

Ezra gave Maul a faded smile as gratitude for the compliment. He shut the lightsaber down, knowing that this was the end of the day's training. All he had to do was wait for Maul to dismiss him before he could return to his quarters, of which Maul did with a wave of his hand.

Maul had since moved Ezra and his bed into his quarters temporarily as a precaution, in the event Ezra had tried to pull another stunt. Ezra didn't seem to mind in his new mental state, mostly due to the fact that Maul was only there at night. But on the bright side, Maul did remove the shock collar on his throat, claiming that since Ezra was now in close quarters and has accepted his fate, there was no real reason to keep it on. But the threat of reapplying it was still present, in the event Ezra ever broke his trust again.

Ezra usually spent his free time meditating on that day's events. It usually helped him stay calm. Unfortunately, his mind still trapped all of the negativity of his actions and Maul's harsh words inside, embracing him in the darkness. It served as a constant reminder of just how far gone he was.

* * *

 **I didn't make it sound too complicated with Maul's explanation about a single bladed and a double bladed lightsaber, did I? I just knew I wanted to address that there was a difference. The next chapter we will still be with Maul and Ezra. We only have one more chapter dedicated to the Ghost crew (Kanan and Sabine along with Ketsu), but that won't be until chapter 16.**


	15. Chapter 15

**And we have another update. The reason I've been updating a little more frequently is because I have up to chapter 16 written, and I want to get the chapters out to you guys as reasonable as possible.**

 **Now were still with Maul and Ezra, and a few days have passed since chapter 14.**

* * *

Another two days of lightsaber training would come to pass and Maul had decided to allow Ezra to begin using the both ends of his newly acquired lightsaber at the same time. Ezra was steadily improving his handling of the lightsaber, getting use to the feeling of using both ends simultaneously. And as Ezra got better, he was less likely to receive a huge amount of scarring caused by Maul's lightsaber. Ezra was also adding some movement to their training, not afraid to use his slender frame to avoid being hit. This improvising turn of events did not stop Maul from progressively raising the intensity of their training, releasing more of his own skills to provide a challenge for the boy.

Combat was eventually thrown in, to help keep both individuals on their feet. It acted as some real world experience, since lightsaber fights weren't just done with lightsabers alone. And for a short period of time, projectiles were also used. Maul also wanted to give Ezra the experience of what it felt like to be under fire while he may be fighting another person using a lightsaber, a Jedi as Maul's mind liked to put it. This short lived obstacle was a great way for Ezra to get familiar with his surrounding, while still trying to teach Ezra how to stay focused with the problem at hand.

"You are a natural Ezra." Maul commented, while holding his ground.

"I've learned from the best." Ezra replied, neither accepting nor denying Maul's compliment.

"I could not have said it better myself, my apprentice."

The training continued as Ezra started to add additional maneuvering and acrobatics to the mix. Throwing in flips and sleek evasion to name a few tactics. Maul didn't let Ezra think he had to upper hand, and increased his output even more as well, in order to match his apprentice's changes. He added in his own experience with acrobatics into the mix.

Eventually some Force training started to welcome itself into their fight. That way they would get the full experience of a situation that requires the use of all three points. Ezra quickly noted the change and adjusted his strategy accordingly. Now they weren't only clashing fists and lightsabers, but they were also flying across the training grounds, avoiding what the other threw at them. Debris was the most common distraction. They would also send each other across their stage, Ezra being the one thrown the most by a small percent.

After a good two hours' worth of training, Maul decided to allow them both to take a break. Ezra took up his usual meditation to help keep his body in a relaxed and tension free position, while the Zabrak continued to fuel Ezra's mind with his corrupted desires. While it didn't faze the teenager's state of mental grace, the sound of something flying did cut Maul's lecture short. Having an idea as to what, or to be more precise, who it was, Maul promptly assessed what he should do with the information.

"It would appear that we have guests." Maul blandly stated, looking in the direction of where the object went. "We should welcome them, don't you think?"

"Yes master." Ezra responded, stepping out of his train of thought.

Ezra slowly stood up, body feeling rested, and followed the proud Zabrak to the landing dock.

* * *

 **Ezra just called Maul master again. And just as a heads up, I'll let you guys know, for the sake of clarity, where Sabine and Kanan were between chapters 13 and 15 in the next chapter's author's note** **, because I feel like that will need some form of addressing.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay so to clarify as far as when the last few chapters took place. The obvious being that 11 and 12 take place at the same time. And because I had it in my head that it was night during chapters 10-12, 13 and 14 are the following morning. This chapter takes place during chapter 15, to keep up with the two day skip between 14 and 15, which is why it seems like it takes time to get from Lothal to Mustafar.**

 **With that out of the way, I'm making a few shout outs. One to Sakura245 (a guest who left a review on chapter 9 recently), yes, I did feel a bit of joy tearing apart a favored character (Ezra). I'll admit I am a little partial to angst fanfics on here ^^; The other being that there are only a few more chapter left in the story. I'm saying this now rather than in the next chapter because I did want to let you now Rebel Spectre 6 that there won't be any more SHocking punishment (I know you left a comment mentioning about it on 14 XD).**

* * *

It had been a day since Sabine and Ketsu had communicated, and Sabine and Kanan were finally meeting Ketsu at the rendezvous point. Guiding the Phantom, they landed just outside of Capital City and only about a mile out from Ezra's tower. They hiked to Ezra's former home and found Ketsu waiting for them outside.

She greeted them, studying Kanan, who she had not had the chance to see since before he was blinded. Kanan opened the door and Ketsu invited them inside of the tall shelter. After getting themselves situated, Ketsu brought out a holomap, and displayed Mustafar for reference.

"As you can see most of the planet is either barren or occupied by the Empire." Ketsu stated, pointing out the areas she was referring to. "The Empire likes to skim these major wastelands every now and then," she pointed out the area before moving to another, "and this is the area where they like to perform executions for who they consider to be the most treacherous of villains. There's really only one place the Empire doesn't like to go, mostly because they don't see a reason to." Ketsu pointed out said area and enlarged the image. "This is where the Black Sun set up base on the planet. It was the only place that was never really explored and no one really cared. Without anything to disturb them, they could do as they pleased, without any interference. That is where you'll find your comrade."

"This is perfect thank you." Sabine cheered. "Thank you Ketsu."

"No problem." Kestu replied with a smile, before turning off the holomap and handing it to Sabine. "Take this. You'll need it. All you need to do is punch in the coordinates and autopilot should take you there."

"Thank you."

"Of course. Just do me a favor. Give the kid a good whack for me."

Sabine smiled and let out a chuckle.

"I will."

Kestu was the first to depart from the tower, Kanan and Sabine followed close behind. Once on the Phantom, knowing that Kestu was out of range, Kanan reached his hand out in Sabine's direction.

"Give it to me." Kanan ordered.

"I don't think so." Sabine replied. "I'm not dumb Kanan. I know what you're going to do. When we get back to the Ghost, you're going to dump me off, have Hera put in the coordinates, and go get Ezra on your own. Well let me tell you something Kanan, I'm not going to let that happen."

"Sabine, I have to do this alone. It's my fault he's stuck there and I'm the only one who can save him."

"Not on my watch. Ketsu gave me the map. If you want it. I am coming with you."

The two were at a standstill, as Kanan ran a hand through his beard, his expression slightly annoyed.

"Why are you Mandalorians so stubborn?"

Sabine let out a smile, knowing Kanan had admitted defeat.

"It is in our nature."

They had driven the Phantom through what would be considered the night, until they reached the red planet. Sabine helped guide the small ship to the correct side of the planet as they made their descent.

Once a landing dock and a familiar Tie Fighter were in sight, the two landed the Phantom. Once parked, Kanan got up and placed a hand in front of Sabine, preventing her from getting up.

"Stay here." Kanan ordered. "I'll handle this."

"But…" Sabine began.

"No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I let you tag along. Besides, I need you here to keep an eye on the Phantom. We'll be able to get out of here quicker if you're here monitoring the controls."

Sabine let out a grunt of defeat.

"Fine. Just be careful, got it?"

Kanan nodded, before exiting the Phantom. He welcomed the heat that Mustafar had to offer. To Kanan's surprise, he could sense that Maul had come out to greet him.

"Why hello Master Jedi." Maul greeted. "Long time no see. How are you?"

Cut the small talk Maul. Hand over Ezra."

"Oh, I'll let you have him. Ezra!"

As if on cue, Ezra walked out from behind the Zabrak and in walked between the two Force users.

"Kill him." Maul ordered.

"Yes master." Ezra replied lighting his duel bladed lightsaber.

* * *

 **Yes, Ezra just called Maul master in front of Kanan. On a side note do you know how many times I almost put down Malachor instead of Mustafar over the course of this story? Quite a few to be honest, but I usually catch myself. The next chapter will be a bit tense.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Another chapter complete. I hope this chapter came out okay. Once again, I am not that perfect at fighting scenes. And I hope the latter portion of the chapter doesn't sound too cheesy (writer's concerns here).**

* * *

Kanan was instantly taken off guard by his padawan's remark. Never in Kanan's life had he wanted to hear Ezra utter those words in regards to the Zabrak. It broke his heart to hear it, not that Kanan allowed himself to show it, and he couldn't dwell on it long, because Ezra lunged at him.

Igniting his own lightsaber, Kanan deflected Ezra's first strike. That didn't stop Ezra from throwing another angered attempt at his former master. Kanan continued to block Ezra's blows, taking note of the change in Ezra's fighting style and form. Gone was the form he held onto when training with Kanan and gone was the style Ezra fought with. Ezra traded it in, in exchange for a more Dathomirian styled form.

Kanan was able to get the two at a standstill, both of their lightsabers clashed, not moving an inch. Kanan took the opportunity to try and talk some sense into Ezra.

"Ezra, it's me!" Kanan called out. "Snap out of it."

"I know it's you Kanan and there's nothing to snap out of. Who do you think you are? You cannot tell me what to do. You are no longer my master."

"What are you talking about? Of course I am."

"Not anymore."

Ezra pushed Kanan away. Ezra was growling with anger.

"You've abandoned me. Allowed me to be tormented. You let me rot, and have only come here to end me."

Each sentence that Ezra uttered jabbed Kanan in the heart, leaving the Jedi stuned. He could not believe that Ezra was saying those words.

"If you really wanted to save me, you would have rescued, me after the first two weeks of me being here, when I communicated with you. Not when I was desperate, leaving me open to Maul's influence."

Ezra didn't give Kanan a chance to reply, attacking him once more. Kanan didn't want to fight back, but he forced himself to, due to Ezra's current state. As the two battled, the each received cuts from the other's blade. Kanan couldn't help but feel terrible for each time his lightsaber struck Ezra, but his guilt turned to rage. Rage that was firmly directed at Maul, who Kanan at one point could sense was smiling in the background.

Eventually, Kanan decided to try a second attempt at persuading the teen. He found himself tackling Ezra, pinning him down.

"Do you honestly believe that we didn't want to come for you sooner?" Kanan asked. "We did, but we wanted to trust in the decision that you made. We believed you knew what was best given the situation that you were currently in. We wanted to save you when you told me you were on Mustafar, but you were right, rushing over wouldn't have been wise."

Kanan hoped that Ezra wanted to hear his words. Hoping that hearing that they trusted him would be significant, even though Kanan knew they should have stepped in sooner. At first it almost looked like his words fazed Ezra. Unfortunately, that would not be the case, as Ezra kneed Kanan in the stomach out of the blue, before knocking Kanan off of him.

Ezra and Kanan both got up and round three of their fighting began. It didn't take longe before Kanan soon found that Ezra was running out of steam. Kanan took advantage of his decreasing stamina to give getting through to Ezra one last time. When Ezra got close enough to him, Kanan quickly deactivated his lightsaber and threw his arm around the teenager. Ezra froze in shock, before attempting to squirm out of Kanan's grip.

"Ezra! I'm sorry!" Kanan shouted, startling the teen. "I'm sorry, okay? I wanted to save you. When you told me you were on Mustafar, I wanted to come for you, but I was afraid. When I heard that you could be spirited away to who knows where, I was afraid to lose you. So I had to listen to your request, even though it would put you at risk. But when you told me that you killed someone, all of that fear turned into guilt. Guilt that I let this happen. Guilt that I didn't come for you sooner. Guilt that I could not protect you. I felt like I had condemned you. Abandoned you and placed you in the manipulative hands of this monster. And for that, I am sorry."

Ezra was silent, not moving in the slightest. Time stood still until Kanan felt Ezra start to tremble. The lightsaber in Ezra's hand deactivated and Kanan knew that his words had finally gotten through to him.

Kanan loosened his grip, allowing Ezra to get some space. Kanan didn't need his sight to know that Ezra was on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry." Ezra whispered.

"It's okay." Kanan comforted. "It's okay Ezra. It's not your fault."

Kanan stood there, allowing Ezra to calm himself down. Once Ezra did, Kanan fully released him from his embrace. Kanan grabbed Ezra's arm, and started to guide Ezra towards the Phantom.

"Let's go home." Kanan guided.

A once calm Ezra was suddenly horrified at the notion, quickly pulling his arm out of Kanan's grasp. Ezra slowly started to back up, while Kanan's attention returned to the boy, concern and confusion taking over.

"Ezra?" Kanan questioned. "What's wrong?"

"I can't go back with you Kanan." Ezra declared, horrified. "I can't go back. I'll only be trouble. I have to stay here."

* * *

 **Didn't expect that for the end, did you? That's how I wanted it to end. Just wait to see what I have planned for the next chapter.**


	18. Chapter 18

**I'm pretty glad with this chapter. It did have to go through a little editing though. On a side note: Do you know how hard it is to write Kanan now that he's blind? I'm realitively new to the whole seeing through the Force mechanic, but I know it doesn't entirely work the same way as actually having eyes (I like to think of it like how Toph "sees" in Avatar). It's just tricky not to use things like "Kanan saw" or "Kanan looked at" and things like that.**

* * *

"What do you mean you have to stay?" Kanan questioned, flabbergasted by Ezra's request.

"I can't go." Ezra replied, his voice shaking. "I will never be safe going back with you. I'll be constantly hunted. It won't stop until I have been grabbed and dragged back, and you guys could wind up dead because of it. So I have to stay. No matter how much I hate it, no matter how scared I am."

Ezra's whole body started to shake in fear. His arms wrapped themselves around his sides. Ezra jumped as two hands took a hold of his shoulders. A twisted laugh vibrated behind Ezra and he could feel it.

"The child has spoken." Maul chimmed in. "And might I say, it is quite poetic."

Ezra's fear seemed to intensify. Not only could Kanan sense it, but Maul also took note of it, knowing what Ezra was freaking out about. Ezra made another slight jump as the Zabrak patted his head.

"Don't worry Ezra. I'm not going to punish you." Maul comforted, ruffling Ezra's hair, which resulted in Ezra to shiver in discomfort. "This was all a test. I wanted to see if you could do it. The results of this test proved that you weren't quite ready yet."

Kanan was disturbed by the scene in front of him, as his anger escalated. The fear emanating off of Ezra was potent, as the teen stood frozen in the Zabrak's grip.

"Fear is a powerful thing master Jedi, which is why I always side with it." Maul stated. "I believe a certain little green gremlin once said fear was the path to the dark side. And so it has. It gracefully placed itself in front of Ezra. His fear of me is stronger than his devotion and love for you."

Kanan could no longer contain himself, his anger exploding, as he instantly and unexpectedly used the Force to push Maul away from Ezra. Not only that, but Kanan used the force to get a grip of Maul's neck. Ezra was shocked by the scene in front of him, and what Kanan had just done. He sprinted over to Kanan, his expression showing concern and terror.

"What are you doing?" Ezra gasped.

"What does it look like?" Kanan bitterly replied. "Finishing the job."

"Well stop."

"Why should I?"

"This is not like you. You would never be this quick to act, nor would you ever be this quick to kill someone."

Kanan didn't respond, showing no sign that he even acknowledged Ezra's statement, as he held his grip on the Zabrak's neck.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't." Kanan ordered.

"Sabine." Ezra hastily replied. "I know she tagged along, and I know there is no way that she'd want you to do this."

"Sabine is a Mandalorian, Ezra. Even if she didn't want me to, this isn't out of the ordinary for her people. So she can handle it."

Ezra was puzzled to say the least at Kanan's statement. Sure she was a Mandaorian, but she as still human and had some common sense. Ezra scrambled for another reason for Kanan to stop, having almost no luck for a few moments.

"Me." Ezra whispered.

"Ezra! I am doing this for you. This will free you from him."

The boy flinched at Kanan yelling at him.

"You would never be able to face me Kanan!" Ezra yelled back, startling Kanan. "You may find a way to justify killing him at the end of the day, but at what cost? The moment this whole situation settles, you would instantly feel regret. You would have to come to terms with what you've done, or better yet, what you've done in front of me. The fact that you lost control and killed someone right in front of me, who mind you, has already been emotionally compromised. I killed a man, who I didn't even know, and I was devastated. So can you imagine what I'll experience if you do this?"

Kanan was surprised by Ezra's bold outburst, all the while still holding the Zabrak subconsciously. He didn't expect Ezra to be so personal with his reasoning.

"If you do this, I'll lose you. You will never be able to face me, or for that matter get anywhere near me. You would be living with the guilt of knowing that you killed Maul when my barriers were down, traumatizing me even more, and because of that, I'll more than likely never see you again. I'll come with you, but you need to let him go."

Kanan seemed to hold his ground, not showing a sign of letting up. All Ezra could do was stare at his mentor, hoping that his words meant something and waited for a response.

A sigh of relief escaped Ezra as Kanan let go of the Dathomirian, who didn't say a word as he caught his breath.

"Consider yourself lucky that _my_ padawan knows me as well as he does." Kanan coldly stated. "Next time you won't be so lucky."

Kanan threw his arm around Ezra's shoulders and guided Ezra towards the Phantom. Maul watched on in silence, processing what had just occurred. 'I wasn't expecting that from you Master Jedi.' Maul stated. 'But you got your way. You got Ezra back, so rejoice. Breaking my hold on him was the easy part. Keeping him that way is a completely different story. He'll be back eventually."

* * *

 **I didn't make Maul too creepy did I? I set up the scene where he approaches Ezra with the idea of sparking that slight bit of fear in Ezra. Also, I always planned to keep him alive, even before the season 3 trailer or anything. I'm just saying that because he will be in season 3, but again none of the season 3 stuff affects this fic. The reason I didn't kill him off was because before any of the season 3 news, no one really knew what role he would play, so I couldn't kill him off since I didn't know what kind of role he would be playing.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Alright, I've got another chapter up. There will be some angst in this chapter, especially towards the end (and a pinch of father/son fluff). And Alex (a guest who left a review on the last chapter), I'm glad you are enjoying it and the only reason I didn't include Kanan getting Ezra to the Phantom in the last chapter (which would have made it a bit longer) is because I felt that it would fit better in this one. Oh, and I haven't completely forgotten the whole heightened resistance to pain thing as I do refer to it in here.**

* * *

Once Kanan got Ezra into the Phantom, Sabine instantly got the ship flying. Once the autopilot was engaged, set to the coordinates of the Ghost, and they got into hyperspace, Sabine was at Ezra's side, embracing the silent teen. While Kanan on the other hand, stayed in his seat, processing all of the events that had just occurred.

Several hours would pass before they would finally reach their destination, their base on Atollon, which was where the Ghost was currently stationed. The Phantom came in slow before officially landing. Sabine and Ezra were the first to exit the small ship, with Kanan close behind. They were greeted by Hera, who ran to them and wrapped Ezra in a warm and loving embrace. Zeb was not too far behind, slowly making his way over to the rest of the crew. After releasing Ezra from her grasp, Hera's maternal instincts kicked in and she stated to check for injuries. It was at that time that Sabine approached Kanan, who was at a slight distance of the group.

"I'm sorry for how I acted back on Mustafar." Kanan apologized. "I lost control."

"It's okay." Sabine comforted. "I'll be honest with you, I would have done the same. Granted I probably would have ended Maul's life before Ezra had the chance to stop me, but you get the idea."

Kanan didn't need to see to know that Sabine was giving him a smile and returned one to her before they both let out a chuckle at the accuracy of her statement.

"What's this!?" Hera gasped in horror, startling the two.

"What?" Kanan questioned, now concerned.

"Did you see this?"

Kanan didn't even need to respond before Hera remembered his blindness, apologizing for the minor mistake that instant.

"Ezra's got a burn mark around his neck."

Sabine went to Ezra's side and observed the teen's body part herself.

"She's right." Sabine replied with concern.

Everyone was speechless, before Ezra explained where it came from. When they heard about the shock collar that Maul was using on him, they were all horrified. Hera didn't need to keep him outside much longer and guided Ezra to the med bay so his wounds could be treated.

It had been a few days and Ezra had been confined to the med bay until further notice. Everyone came to see him at their own pace. Zeb was the first, proclaiming that even though he wasn't showing it, he did in fact miss the kid and was worried about him. Rex was the second, giving the boy some comfort and complimenting Ezra on just how brave he was during the whole ordeal. Sabine soon followed, giving him a painting as a gift and to add some color to his current housing arrangement. She made sure to sock Ezra in the arm for Kestu, to which Sabine informed Ezra about after doing it. Hera was in and out of the med bay, so she got to give her attention to Ezra every time she came in.

Kanan was the last to visit Ezra, and he was horrified to hear about the boy's injuries. Hera told him about everything. Those injuries included several broken ribs, a healing sprained wrist, and several burn marks caused by Ezra coming in contact with a lightsaber, not including the ones from when Kanan fought Ezra. Kanan was surprised when Hera told him how little pain Ezra was actually in. Ezra had told her how he had learned how to heighten his resistance to pain. That did however, explain how Ezra wasn't fazed by any of his injuries when he fought Kanan, as well as giving some new information about the burn around his neck. Not only was the collar used as a form of punishment, but it also contributed to his heightened level of pain resistance. And because of it, the intensity had to be gradually increased every time Ezra had to be punished, that way Ezra could feel the electrocution.

"It doesn't hurt." Ezra stated, breaking the silence. "It only looks bad, not that you can really see it."

Ezra hoped that his statement would lighten the mood, because he could tell that Kanan was uncomfortable, not that Ezra blamed him. Kanan had been avoiding Ezra, which wasn't a surprise to the teen. He knew Kanan needed time to process everything and the Jedi still felt worried about the boy and his condition. But because of it, Kanan had also been neglecting giving Ezra any contact. Ezra could tell that Kanan was afraid that he would break the boy.

When he didn't get much of a response from his master, Ezra took a chance to try to get a reaction.

"Here."

Ezra grabbed one of Kanan's hands and gently guided it to the front of his circular scar. Kanan could feel just how tender that area was, taking note of the fact that it was healing.

"I'll be fine."

Ezra gave Kanan a smile, while Kanan kept his hand there, studying the abuse.

"How could someone do this to you?" Kanan whispered. "I wish I would have…"

Kanan stopped himself, not wanting to continue, and quickly removing his hand from Ezra's neck. He made a gesture, letting out his frustration. However, while he was making said gesture, Ezra jumped ever so slightly in horror. Kanan paused, his hand stuck like it was ready to strike something, or someone. Kanan didn't even need a moment to think to know why Ezra reacted the way that he did, and pulled Ezra into an embrace. The tension settled, and before Ezra knew it, all of his emotions that were bottled up over the course of a month came flooding out. Crying forced its way out of the teen and onto Kanan.

"I'm so sorry." Kanan whispered, one hand running through the teen's hair.

"It's not your fault." Ezra stated through his tears. "I'm sorry. You're just trying to let your steam out, and I overreacted."

"Don't you dare apologize Ezra Bridger. This is by no means your fault. You were hurt, suffering excorticating pain, physically, mentally, and emotionally. You're response proves that, and you know I would never hurt you, at least intentionally. All you need to remember is that I am here for you and we will get through this together."

Ezra was speechless, letting his tears do all of the talking, all the while allowing Kanan to comfort him.

* * *

 **I'll be honest, I was debating how to set up the scene where Ezra flinches in response to thinking he was going to be hit. Obviously he's reacting because of what Maul did when he broke Ezra, but I wasn't sure how I would set up the response here. I initially was going to have Kanan go into a rant, alleviating his anger at what Maul had did to Ezra and a flick of his wrist would have caused Ezra to react, but I thought that kind of reaction would be a little unnecessary. So I decided that Kanan just letting out a sort of gesture while making an irritated noise (obviously not including the little grunt/growl). Just as a heads up, there are two more chapters after this.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Another more fluff oriented chapter. This chapter also kind of makes reference to a headcanon I had came up with where basically Ezra has places that he likes to hide which includes Kanan's room. Now granted I already had this chapter planned out before creating the headcanon, but when I made it, it did kind of make reference to what happens in this chapter.**

* * *

It had been a week since Ezra got back and he was finally allowed out of the med bay. His injuries were almost completely healed, enough for him to be permitted to walk around. His burn was gradually fading as well. It wasn't as noticeable as it once was. His eyes even returned to their vibrant shade of blue. Ezra made everyone swear to not to tell Kanan about them being yellow, for the sake of Kanan's already fragile mood and emotions during the boy's recovery. Everyone could agree that it would be in Kanan's best interest not to know about it.

Since it was Ezra's first night out of the med bay, everyone was hoping that he would be fine back in his and Zeb's room. Not that it should have been a problem since Zeb was missing having his roommate and the two got along so well. They also didn't have to worry about Ezra being alone because of their shared living arrangement.

Kanan was in a deep sleep until shifting underneath his blanket woke him up. Something or someone was hiding beneath his covers and refused to leave any time soon. Kanan forced himself to roll over on his other side and lift the blanket up in order to address his intruder.

"Ezra?" Kanan asked, still in a bit of a daze.

A small grunt answered Kanan, confirming that it was the teen and even though Kanan's personal space was being invaded, Kanan didn't mind. He wasn't even surprised. Kanan kept the blanket up, but Ezra made no attempt to emerge from beneath the blanket. Instead, the boy made himself comfortable and curled himself up in a ball.

"Everything okay?" Kanan wondered.

Ezra was quiet for a moment.

"Can't sleep." Ezra groggily admitted, letting out an exhausted yawn. "Didn't want to bother Zeb."

"So you came all of this way to bug me?"

"Yeah."

Ezra wasn't offended by Kanan's question, letting out a small chuckle and Kanan gave a small amused smile. It was the truth, but they both knew it was not meant to be taken with malice.

"Alright. I don't mind. As long as you get some sleep, that's fine by me. Good night Ezra."

Kanan lowered the blanket back down, enshrouding the kid in the warmth of the blanket, causing Ezra to curl up even more. Kanan returned to his original sleeping position as yet another smile graced his face. The fact that Ezra came to him for comfort in his semiconscious state was worth being woken up for. Ezra had been gone for long enough that it was nice to see that Ezra knew he could still come to Kanan when he needed to.

He was still alert enough that he could tell when Ezra had fallen asleep. He could hear the light breathing Ezra was giving off. Sleep would soon take a hold of Kanan as well. For the first time in just slightly over a month, peace would take over their slumber.

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed it. I was originally going to have this included with the previous chapter, but I thought that it would be better to keep this as its own standalone chapter. I didn't want the previous chapter to have too much and I wanted it to be primarily focused on Ezra getting back and getting some medical attention.**


	21. Chapter 21

**So here we have it the final chapter.**

 **To Alex (a guest reviewer), I don't mind the long reviews. And to answer your question, no I don't plan on having Ezra going completely to the Dark Side. Mostly because that wasn't my initial plan, especially now that we're at the end. I also didn't plan for a sequel (in the event you wanted to know if I would in a sequel). And as far as his eyes going back to his normal blue, I meant for it to get back there. Since his eyes didn't go completely Sith (yellow rimmed with red), at least that's how I had it stated in chapter 12 (where there was some blue left). Had they gone completely Sith, then it may have been more permanent (or at least taking longer to get his eyes back to normal).**

* * *

"Don't get me wrong, I love having you all to myself, but everyone's barely seen you in a week. That's not fair Ezra." Kanan admitted with a chuckle as he and Ezra walked down the halls of the Ghost.

Ezra gave a smile, letting out a small laugh. Ezra had yet to be cleared for doing bigger missions, only allowed to go on one or two, so outside of the one or two supply runs and eating, he didn't socialize with anyone much outside of Kanan for the last week. He had even at one point elected to move into Kanan's room for the time being.

Hera claimed that it was probably for the best, since Ezra was still getting used to being back and returning to his routine. And since Ezra was only really comfortable with Kanan, it would be in his best interest to stay in close contact with the Jedi until he was really ready to interact normally with the others. Kanan couldn't argue with that logic considering that he and Ezra did have such a close bond.

They were mission free for the day, so Kanan figured that now was a good time to at least try to reintegrate Ezra back into the group. They decided to throw together a little surprise in the hopes it does something to boost Ezra's spirit.

"When we're done, we're going to get rid of that lightsaber." Kanan stated.

"We can't destroy it Kanan." Ezra admitted with a sigh, confusing the Jedi.

They stopped walking so an explanation could be called into order.

"Why not? We can find a way to replace your old one, so there is no reason for you to keep it."

Ezra let out a sigh.

"It's not ours to destroy. It wasn't even Maul's in the first place. So it wasn't even his to give. Besides, I want to keep it. It will serve as a reminder as well as a historical memory."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"As I said, the lightsaber he gave me was not his own. It belonged to his brother. I never gave it an initial thought when he gave it to me, but since I got back I found myself contemplating it. The fact that he gave me it says a lot. He cared for his brother, something I got a small taste of when I first met him back on Malachor, and giving it to me says a lot. The only physical memory of his brother is this lightsaber. I can't take that away."

"And how does it act as a reminder?"

"It will serve as a reminder what I could have become. What I went through. What I learned. That it could still happen. I want to move on from this, and to do so, I must not forget about what happened."

Kanan took his words to heart. It was just like Ezra to justify things. Kanan gave Ezra a nod, understanding the boys reasoning now that he's stated it. They didn't need to say a word to know that the discussion was over, and finished their journey to the common room.

When they got there, they were greated by the rest of the crew. Ezra's surprise was a little gathering in honor of Ezra's return. Sabine had done the décor and Hera prepped a few dishes. Zeb and Rex just made sure that everything was in order.

They all enjoyed their little celebration, finally able to drag Ezra out of his shell, even if it was just by a little. It would be Rex, who would really ignite a spark from the kid, as he pulled Ezra aside.

"I have something to give you." Rex admitted. "I've been holding onto this for a while now. It belonged to Ahsoka, but something tells me that she would want you to have this."

Rex handed Ezra the item of discussion, and Ezra was surprised that Rex would have such an item: a lightsaber. Everyone else was shocked, even Kanan once he heard about what Rex had given the boy.

Rex gave Ezra a smile, letting Ezra know that it was okay to activate it. Ezra didn't need to be told twice, as he activated the blade. A green glow lit the room, surprising everyone.

"Ahsoka said that her master kept this as a memento to the man who found him. When Ahsoka left the order, her master gave it to her, as a memory of their time together and their close friendship. She kept it all of those years, up until you guys left for Malachor. She left it with me until it was 'absolutely necessary.' I believe now is that time. I know you still feel guilty about her demise and I also know that she would not want you to be saddened by her sacrifice, because it was not your fault. I'd like to think of this as a light at the end of the tunnel that she wants you to have."

Ezra looked at Rex in awe. The clone's words got through to him, lifting some of the burden off of him in regards to Ahsoka's sacrifice. Ezra didn't need to think twice before deactivating the lightsaber and embraced Rex.

"Thank you." Ezra whispered, tears beginning to form.

"It's my pleasure." Rex responded with a smile, patting the kid on his head.

Rex allowed Ezra to have his moment, enjoying the thankful affection that Ezra was giving.

"Alright." Rex finally stated. "There is no more need for tears soldier. This is supposed to be a happy day. Besides, you don't exactly make the sturdiest of armor."

Ezra let go of Rex, drying his tears on his sleeve, before letting out a laugh at Rex's statement.

"You're right." Ezra chuckled. "I probably couldn't even protect you from being stunned."

"Well so long as it isn't set to killed, we'll be fine."

A laugh erupted from the both of them, before the others joined in as well. All the while Kanan couldn't help but fell nostalgia from that statement, before letting out a smile. Everyone was glad to see Ezra's happiness.

Ezra's recovery would take time, but the light joking was a push in the right direction. All they could do was be glad with having him back and hoping that such an event would never happen again.

* * *

 **Yes we get a little more fluff here and a reference to Stealth Strike. And the lightsaber he got was Qui Gon's. I was originally going to have it be that he got Ahsoka's old ones, but it was brought to my attention that she didn't have them when she left the Order. I still wanted him to get a lightsaber that was associated with Ahsoka, so I decided that Ahsoka ended up with Qui Gon's when she left, as a gift from Anakin. That way, Ezra has something that was kind of important to Ahsoka as a memory.**

 **I'd like to thank everyone whos read this story. As well as everyone who's every reviewed, followed, and or added this story to their favorites. I know I haven't thanked everyone in person for it, so I am now. I really enjoyed writing this, and I'm glad with how it came out. I'm glad if you were able to follow this story and enjoy it, regardless if you followed and/or Favorited it or not.**


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